Page 78 of Dragon Tempted

“She was very distraught when you drove off using yourself as bait.”

“It was necessary.” Ryan gave him a hard stare. “And I knew you had her back.”

“What is your relationship with Sienna?” John cursed himself for asking—no, blurting it out.

Ryan’s eyebrows shot up. “Did you ask Sienna that question?”

“I did. She said you’re best friends.”

Ryan pulled off his gloves. “And you question that?”

“I question how you can spend so much time with her and…” His words petered out. What the hell was he trying to say here?

“And not love her?” Ryan finished his muddled thoughts. “I do love her. I have since the first day I met her.”

Of course he did. John’s chest tightened at his announcement.

Ryan reached for his water bottle. “I was playing in the yard here waiting for my father, who was training. Sienna walked up to me and announced that I was her new best friend.” Ryan chuckled. “I told her that boys and girls couldn’t be best friends, and she told me I was being silly. She was right. And she’ll tell you she’s always right.”

John felt like he was swallowing gravel. “Then why aren’t you with her?”

Ryan gave him a long look as if weighing what to say. “Because I’m not in love with her. My heart belongs to someone else, and he’s not getting the message.”

John’s chest loosened and he sucked in a breath. He should want Sienna and Ryan together. That would tie up things in a neat little bow and make all his unwanted, dangerous feelings take a hike. Hadn’t he just convinced himself that he needed to keep his distance from her?

Ryan narrowed his eyes at John’s silence. “We going to have an issue?”

“About you being in love with a man? No. If I’ve learned anything in my centuries on this earth, it’s that people are too caught up in what they think a relationship should look like. Personally I think all the damn judgy words like ‘proper,’ ‘correct,’ and ‘appropriate’ need to be chucked in the garbage. Seems like the only people who use them are the ones who need a lesson in humanity. Love is a gift.”

And he should damn well know, since he’d never experienced it. Never had someone to care for him during the centuries. Yes, he thought his parents had loved him, but he didn’t remember them. His dragon grandfather had put up with him. Whether it was duty or just to spite the witch clan, he’d never know. And of course he couldn’t forget his witch grandmother…

Even if he wanted to love someone, he wasn’t sure if he knew how.

Chapter 27

Sienna walked into the living room and found Bella and Lily waiting for her. “Are we going to have a quick dance party before baths?”

“Yes!” they chorused.

“Is John coming to dance with us?” Lily asked with big eyes.

Her heart tweaked at the question. “Not tonight, sweetie.”

Sienna pulled out her phone and synced it to the surround-sound speakers in the room. “I think ’80s dance music is called for tonight.” She clicked on her playlist and “Girls Just Want To Have Fun” came through the speakers. The girls squealed at one of their favorite songs and started to hop around the room. Sienna danced along with them, and Tessa and Megan came into the room and joined them.

“Can’t miss Cyndi Lauper!” Tessa called out as she twirled.

The adults started singing along, which got Lily and Bella giggling. It wasn’t too long before Eric and Adam stood in the doorway with matching grins on their faces.

The song died down and her brothers clapped. Lily bowed and Bella attempted to bow like her bigger cousin.

Sienna’s heart soared every moment she spent with her nieces. “Okay. One more song before you head upstairs. I have a good one.” Sienna clicked on her phone and Whitney Houston’s voice filled the room. “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” was another of the girl’s go-to songs. At least she was schooling them in good music. Lily ran over to her dad and pulled Adam into the room. He spun around with her until he reached Tessa and the three of them started to dance. Eric swept Bella up and held her in his arm while reaching for Megan with his other. Sienna’s cheeks hurt with how hard she was smiling. It was so hard to believe how much they had lost, and in the last couple years her brothers had gained.

Not to say that she hadn’t gained too. She had both of her brothers back, and now she had two sisters-in-law who were friends and, of course, amazing nieces. She had never been one to think much about a partner in life. So many people lived happily and independently in the world. But at moments like these, when she watched them hold each other, she wondered, what if?

What if she had someone to hold tight? To share with? To love?

And if she was being honest with herself, having John around had really intensified all these wiggly what-if thoughts. But now was not the time for thoughts that didn’t involve keeping her family safe and breaking the curse.